Distortion analysis apparatus



June M, 1966 R. DEMING 3,256,611

DISTORTION ANALYSIS APPARATUS Filed April 16, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEY5 June 21, 1966 R. L. DEMING 3,256,611

DISTORTION ANALYSIS APPARATUS Filed April 16, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z INVENTOR @mmd .fiemmy BY W y ATTORNEYS June 21, 1966 R. L. DEMING 2 fi DISTORTION ANALYSIS APPARATUS Filed April 16, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY 5 United States Patent 3,256,611 DISTORTION ANALYSIS APPARATUS Raymond L. Deming, Dubuque Chiropractic Center, 1417 Locust St., Dubuque, Iowa Filed Apr. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 273,401 14 Claims. (Cl. 33174) This invention relates generally to body posture measuring devices, and more particularly to an improved body posture analysis apparatus capable of repeatedly positioning a person in the same analysis position.

It is known in medical science that human posture is an important factor in the health of an individual. The science of chiropractic has arisen around this principle, and practitioners of that science analyze human posture toward the end that deformities and abnormalities therein may be reognized and corrected.

In the past, analysis of body posture has been carried out for the most part without the aid of measuring ap paratus capable of insuring accuracy in the measurement of positions of different sections of the body. While some devices have been proposed for this purpose, they have not been constructed to permit re-analysis of the body posture with assurance that the patient is in precisely the same position as when first analyzed. The value of apparatus which will insure that a patient will repeatedly be in the same analysis position is obvious.

The analysis device of the present invention incorporates novel foot positioning apparatus arranged in conjunction with a fixed plumb line and a panel having grid work thereon. This unique arrangement enables a doctor to repeatedly place a patient in the same analysis position, whereby changes in the human anatomy resulting either from the passage of time or treatment can be readily discerned.

Further, the positioning apparatus of the invention is especially useful in making X-rays of the anatomy, as it permits the patient to be repeatedly placed in the same position for a series of X-rays.

Another problem in analyzing posture is to determine what effect sagged arches and uneven leg lengths have on abnormalities in body posture. The analysis apparatus of the present invention is constructed to permit the insertion of pronator test plates and heel and sole lifts under a patients foot while he is being analyzed. Thus, the eifect of such insertions may be readily discerned during the analysis procedure.

The analysis apparatus of the invention may be installed easily without the use of special equipment, and is highly economical to fabricate. It may be installed in a room wherever sufiicient wall space is available, and hence, no special cabinetry is required and installation cost is at a minimum.

It is an object of this invention to provide a distortion analysis apparatus constructed to permit ready and accurate measurement of the position of different sections of the human body.

Another object of the present invention is to provide distortion analysis apparatus constructed so that a patient may be repeatedly placed in the same position whereby a comparative series of postural analyses may be made.

A further object of the subject invention is to provide a foot plate constructed to precisely place a patient in a predetermined position, and to permit inserts to be readily placed and removed under the patients feet.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a foot plate apparatus which permits placing of a patient in a predetermined full or lateral profile posture position.

A still further object of the subject invention is to provide a foot plate assembly incorporating means to ice insure that the components thereof may be repeatedly placed in the same relative positions.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a distortion analysis kit which may be readily installed at minimum cost.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a distortion analysis apparatus that is economical to construct and easily installed.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the lateral foot plate of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the base foot plate of the invention, showing the construction thereof;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the lateral and base foot plates in their assembled position;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the lateral foot plate of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the base foot plate of FIG. 2, showing in particular the cut-out portion therein for permitting the placing of foot analysis inserts;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken along the line 66 of FIG. 3, showing the manner in which the assembled lateral and foot plates interlock;

FIG. 7 is a cross-section through the assembled lateral and foot plates, taken along the line 77 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 illustrates the distortion analysis apparatus in use with a patient positioned in the full profile position;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, but with the patient in a side profile position; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the distortion analysis kit of the invention.

The distortion analysis apparatus 'of the present invention comprises a base foot plate and a lateral foot plate, the latter being constructed to mount on the former in a predetermined, interlocked position. The base foot plate is secured to the floor about two feet from an adjacent wall, and a spring-tensioned plumb line extends therefrom to the ceiling or other structure thereabove. The wall which the base foot plate faces has a grid pattern thereon divided into a plurality of uniform squares. By positioning a patient in predetermined relation to either the base foot plate or the lateral foot plate, and 1 then visually aligning the plumb line with a vertical central line on the grid, it is possible for a doctor or other analyzer to determine with great precision the posture position of difierent portions of the patients anatomy.

The base foot plate has cut-outs in the frame thereof which permit access to the arch region of a patients foot. A plurality of pronator testers of various thicknesses are provided, which testers may be inserted under the patients arch through said cut-outs. By visually determining the effect on body posture of various different pronator testers, it is possible to determine the desirability of prescribing arch supports for a patient and the type of arch support that should be obtained. The distortion analysis apparatus also includes heel and sole lift testers of various thicknesses, both of which are utilized in much the same manner as the pronator testers to determine whether lifts should be prescribed for a patient.

Referring now to the drawings, a base foot plate is indicated generally-at 2 and comprises a heel-plate 4 having a straight edge 6 along its forward edge. Extending from the heel plate are a pair of longitudinal .bars 8, said bars being spaced apart at said heel plate a distance so that the distance between the outside edges thereof corresponds generally to the distance ibetween an adult persons heels when he is standing normally. The two longitudinal bars 8 diverge outwardly from each other at an angle corresponding generally to that defined by the feet of an adult person in his normal standing position, say from the longitudinal axis of the heel plate. The longitudinal bars extend outwardly from the heel plate a distance a few inches greater than the normal length of a persons foot and are interconnected by a cross-bar 10 at their outer ends, said cross-bar being disposed parallel to the straight edge 6.

As is best shown in FIG. 5, the base foot plate 2 has a rib 12 extending around the nndersurface of the heel plate 4, and a similar rib 14 extends around the outer periphery of the longitudinal bars 8 and the cross-bar 10. The inner periphery of said longitudinal bars and said cross-bar has a similar rib '16 extending thereabout, said rib 16 being substantially less in height than the rib 14. The rib 14 has arcuate cut-outs centrally of the longitudinal bars 8, one in each of the longitudinal bars, said cut-outs being shown in profile in FIG. 6. The longitudinal bars 8 have rounded ribs 20 (FIG. 2) on the top surface thereof extending over the region of the cut-outs 18, said ribs serving to reinforce the bars in said regions and for an interlocking purpose to be hereinafter described.

The manner in which base foot plate 2 is installed is illustrated in FIG. 8 wherein said base foot plate is shown resting upon a floor 22. Extending upwardly normally from the floor 22 is a wall panel 24, and extending outwardly from the top of said wall panel is a ceiling panel 26. The base foot plate 2 is positioned on the floor 22 so that the straight edge '6 thereof is about two feet from and parallel with the wall panel 24. When the base plate has been properly positioned, it is secured to the floor -22 by passing screws through bores 28 in the heel plate 4 and the crossbar 10.

Before the base plate 2 is secured to the floor, one end of a flexible string plumb line 30 is passed through a bore 32 positioned along the longitudinal central axis of the heel plate 4, a knot being tied in the end of said plumb line string below the plate 2. The base plate is then secured to the floor and the plumb line is extended vertically to the ceiling panel '26. The upper end of the plumb line has one end of a coil spring 34 attached thereto and the other end of said spring is attached to a hook 66 secured in the ceiling panel. The hook 36 is positioned relative to the bore 32 so that the plumb line will extend exactly vertically therebetween, and the coil spring 34 is distended somewhat to maintain the plumb line under tension.

The wall panel 24 has a vertical reference line (not shown in the drawings) with which the plumb line is visually aligned when the distortion analysis apparatus is in use. Said vertical reference line lies directly behind the plumb line in FIGS. 8 and 9, and hence is not visible therein. Disposed on either side of the reference line on the wall panel is a grid work 38 comprised of uniform squares, the lines defining said squares extending exactly horizontally and vertically relative to the plumb line 30. Typically, the squares of the grid work would measure 2 on each side.

In use, a patient is placed with his or her feet against the base foot plate 2 as shown in FIG. 8 for full profile analysis. The examiner stands behind the patient and visually aligns the plumb line 30 with the vertical reference line on the wall panel 24. Any abnormalities in different sections of the patients spine or other body portion then become readily apparent because of the grid work pattern. Measurements of the positions of different portions of the patients body may be visually made by reference to the grid work, and distances may be visually estimated with accuracies to a fraction of an inch. If it is desired to take pictures of the patient, the lens opening or aperture of the photographic device is aligned with the plumb line and the vertical reference line on the wall panel. The picture may then be taken, and will readily 4 show any abnormalities of posture. Using the base plate (FIG. 2) and/or the lateral foot plate (FIG. 1) to make X-rays in the weight bearing position requires that a base plate be fastened to the floor in proper position relative to a vertical X-ray bucky or table.

If a later analysis of the same patient is desired, he is again placed in the distortion analyzer with his feet against the heel plate 4 and the longitudinal bars 8. He is then positioned in precisely the same place as when the original analysis was made, and if the examiner again aligns the plumb line with the vertical reference line on the wall panel any changes in the body since the last analysis will be readily apparent. Further, any photographic record made on the second or subsequent analysis may be readily compared to previous photographs with the assurance that the patient will be in the same position.

The base foot plate 2 provides for precisely placing a patient in a full profile position. The patient may also be placed in a lateral profile position by use of the lateral foot plate indicated at 40 in FIG. 1. The lateral foot plate 40 comprises a frame work having a pair of diverging spaced foot rests 42 thereon, the angle of divergence of said foot rests corresponding to the similar angle of divergence of the longitudinal bars 8 in FIG. 2; similarly, the spacing between the foot rests 42 corresponds to the spacing between said longitudinal bars. The foot rests 42 are interconnected at their forward end by a bridging bar 44 and at their rearward end by a heel bar 46 which extends vertically above the relatively fiat foot rests.

A rib 48 extends around the confronting edges of the foot rests and the bridging bar 44 and functions to position the side of a patients foot. To facilitate the placing of a patient on the foot plate 40, foot prints 50 are etched, scribed, or otherwise formed thereon.

The undersurfa'ce of the lateral foot plate 40 is illustrated in FIGS. 4, 6 and 7. The front outer corners of the foot rests are curved and have downwardly extending support [flanges 52 thereon. The aft end of the foot plate 40 has a support flange 54 extending downwardly therefrom across its length. The lateral foot plate 40 is intended to be positioned upon the base foot plate 2, and means are provided to interlock said two plates to insure that they will be properly positioned relative to one another.

The heel plate 4 is provided with a bore 56 spaced inwardly a short distance from the straight edge 6 and positioned on the longitudinal central axis of said foot plate 2. The lateral foot plate has a downwardly extending lug 58 centrally of its lateral edge 60, and a similar lug 62 is positioned directly opposite said first lug on the other lateral edge of said plate. The lugs 58 and 62 are each of a size to be snugly received within the bore 56, and extend downwardly from the lateral foot plate a distance sufiicient to insure that they will be firmly engaged within said bore 56 when the two foot plates are in their assembled position.

The desired position for the lateral foot plate 40 relative to the base foot plate 2 is with the straight heel bar 46 extending perpendicularly from the straight edge 6 of the heel plate 4. To insure that the plates are thus relatively positioned when assembled, downwardly extending projections 64 and 66 are provided on the undersurface of each of the foot rests 42. The projections 64 and 66 extend downwardly from the foot rests a distance substantially greater than the thickness of the ribs 20, and are arranged so that when the lug 58 is engaged in the bore 56 the projections 64 will snugly engage the outside edges of the bars 8 near the outer end thereof. Similarly, when the lug 62 is engaged in the bore 56, the projections 66 will engage the outer end of the base foot plate. Thus, said projections and lugs function to precisely position the lateral foot plate in either its leftfacing or right-facing position on said base plate.

The foot rests 42 also ha e projections 68 and 70 extending downwardly therefrom and positioned between the projections 64 and 66. The projections 68 and 70 have a height corresponding to that of the ribs 'and, as is best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, are positioned to rest on the bars 8 and engage behind said ribs 20 when the plates are in their assembled position. Thus, the projections 68 and 70 also insure that the two plates 2 and will be repeatedly positioned in precisely the same relationship.

The support flanges 52 and 54 are of a height to engage the floor when the projections 68 and 70* rest on the top surface of the base plate 2 and so that the ribs 20 will engage the undersurfaces of the foot rests 42. The undersurfaces of the foot rests are provided with narrow reinforcing ribs 72 between the support flanges 52 and the aft support flange 54, and a similar reinforcing rib 74 between the two front support flanges 52. The ribs 72 preferably have a height corresponding to that of the ribs 20. i

The lateral foot plate is utilized as illustrated in FIG. 9 to place a patient in a lateral profile position. It is installed on the base foot plate in the manner hereinabove described, after which the patient is placed thereon with his heels engaging the heel bar 46 and the inner edges of his feet engaging the rib 48. The examiner then aligns the plumb line 30 with the vertical reference line on the wall panel, and can thereafter make a postural analysis by use of the grid work in the manner hereinabove described. The lateral foot plate is constructed so that it may face either to the left or to the right, and so that it may be repeatedly positioned in exactly the same disposition. Thus, the combination of the two foot plates enables a doctor to repeatedly place a patient in either full profile, right profile or left profile positions. The distortion analysis apparatus of the.invention is illustrated in kit form in FIG. 10, wherein is shown a base foot plate 2, a plumb line 30 in its wrapped condition, a ceiling hook 36 and a coil spring 34. Addition-' ally, the kit includes a plumb bob 75 useful for determining the proper position on the floor for the base foot plate and for determining the position in the ceiling panel at which the hook 36 must be placed. Screws 76 are also included in the kit for the purpose of securing the foot plate in position on a floor.

The grid work on the wall panel may be installed either by drawing it on said panel or by utilizing printed paper panels or the like. The former method of installing the grid work is preferred, and to facilitate such manner of installation, the kit of FIG. 10 includes a line drawing pen 78, a scale 80 and a straight edge 82. In addition to the line drawing pen 78, a marking pencil 84 is provided for use by the examiner in placing analysis markings on the patient.

As has been referred to hereinabove, the distortion analysis apparatus of the invention is useful in determining the elfectof foot abnormalities upon a patients posture. These abnormalities usually consist of two types; those having to do with sagging of the arch and those resulting from differences in length between a persons two legs. Analysis of arch abnormalities are made in the present invention by the use of pronator testers, indicated at 86 in FIG. 10-. Said testers 86 each comprise a rounded arched body 88 and a handle 90. The testers may be readily inserted under a patients foot through the cut-outs 18 without requiring the patient to displace himself from the analysis apparatus. Thus, by inserting and removing various testers 86, it is possible to visually observe their effect on a patients posture and to prescribe corrective arch supports for him. It is understood that the dilferent testers 36 are of different thicknesses.

The kit of FIG. 10 also includes heel lifts 92 and sole lifts 94, both of which are supplied in varying thicknesses While the base and lateral foot plates have been described in combination with the distortion analysis.apparatus of the invention, it is to be understood that said elements have utility aside from said apparatus. For example, they may be utilized solely to position the patient for repeated X-ray and photographic analysis, and they may be utilized for the fitting of shoes, arch supports and the like.

Thus, their use apart from the distortion analysis apparatus is clearly within the teachings of the invention.

The distortion analysis apparatus of the invention is of particular utility in analyzing a patient for chiropractic purposes. For example, with the patient being positioned by the foot plates in the full profile or side profile positions, the doctor can readily determine the positions of various sections of the patients body. By determining the measured positions of the different sections of the body, and by assigning different scaler values to measurements of various portions of the body, it is possible for a doctor of chiropractic to form a posture analysis factor from these assigned values which is an indication of the postural condition of the patient. By making necessary chiropractic adjustments in a patient, and then re-analyzing himon the basis of these same measured values, the progress of the patient maybe readily charted. It is thus seen that the distortion analysis apparatus of the invention is of great value to the doctor of chiropractic.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. Accordingly, it is to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

I claim:

. ll. In a posture analysis apparatus, a feet-positioning device, comprising: a heel plate having a straight edge on the front thereof; a pair of bars attached to and extending from the central portion of said heel plate, said bars being symmetrically disposed about a longitudinal axis and each diverging outwardly from said axis at about a 5 angle, the rear ends of said divergent bars being spaced apart a distance about equal to the distance measured between the confronting heel portions 'on the feet of a person standing normally, the region between said divergent bars being open and unobstructed, and said divergent bars each having cut-out portions in their undersurface centrally thereof to provide access to the undersurface of a human foot disposed adjacent there- 7 to for placing inserts under said foot.

2. In a posture analysis apparatus, a feet-positioning device, comprising: a base plate, said base plate including a heel plate having a pair of spaced, divergent bars attached to and extending therefrom; a lateral plate receivable on said base plate, said lateral plate including a pair of spaced, divergent, interconnected foot rests; and interengageable means on said lateral plate and said base plate for holding the former in a predetermined position on the latter.

3. A feet-positioning device as recited in claim 2, including additionally upwardly projecting rims on the confronting portions of said foot rests for engaging the inner edges of human feet placed thereon, and an upwardly extending heel bar extending across the aft edges of both said foot rests for engaging the heels of said human feet.

4. A feet-positioning device as recited in claim 2, wherein said heel plate has a bore therein disposed to lie under a portion of said lateral plate, and wherein said means includes a downwardly extending lug on said lateral plate positioned and sized to be receivable within said bore, and a plurality of downwardly extending projections on said lateral plate spaced from said lug and positioned to engage peripheral portions of said base plate.

5. A feet-positioning device as recited in claim 4, including additionally a second downwardly extending lug on said lateral plate spaced from and positioned on the opposite side of said lateral plate from said first-mentioned lug, and a second plurality of downwardly extending projections on said lateral plate spaced from and positioned oppositely of said first-mentioned projections, whereby said lateral plate may be interlocked with said base plate to selectively face in either of two opposite directions.

6. Posture analysis apparatus, comprising, in combination: means for positioning human feet, comprising: a base plate, said base plate including a heel plate and a pair of spaced, divergent bars secured to and projecting from said heel plate; a lateral plate receivable on said base vplate, and including a pair of spaced, divergent, interconnected foot rests; and interengaging means on said lateral plate and said base plate for locating the former in a predetermined position upon the latter; a plumb line extending vertically upwardly from said feet-positioning means; and a panel disposed in front of and spaced from said feet-positioning means and said plumb line, said panel having a vertical reference line thereon.

7. The combination as recited in claim 6, wherein additionally said divergent bars each have cut-out portions in the bottom thereof to provide access to the arch region of a foot disposed adjacent thereto.

8. Posture analysis apparatus, comprising, in com-.

bination: means for positioning human feet, including a base plate, said base plate comprising a heel plate having a straight edge on the forward end thereof, and a pair of spaced, divergent bars connected to said heel plate and extending forwardly from the central portion of said straight edge; a plumb line attached to said heel plate medially of said divergent bars and extending vertically upwardly therefrom; a panel disposed in front of and spaced from said base plate, said panel extending parallel to said straight edge and said plumb line and having a vertical reference line thereon disposed parallel to and in alignment with said plumb line; a lateral plate receivable upon said base plate, and including a pair of spaced, divergent, interconnected foot rests, said foot rests having upwardly extending rims on their confronting edges and upwardly extending heel stop bars on their aft' edges; and interengageable means on said lateral plate and said base plate for locating the former in a predetermined position upon the latter.

9. Posture analysis apparatus, comprising, in combination: means for positioning human feet in predetermined, side by side, spaced relationship on opposite sides of and symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal axis lying horizontally between the feet positioning means; a plumb line extending vertically upwardly from said feetpositioning means, the lower end of said plumb line being secured to said feet-positioning means at a point along said longitudinal axis; and a vertical panel arranged perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and disposed in front of and spaced from said feet-positioning means and said plumb line, said panel having a central vertical reference line thereon positioned in a vertical plane common to said plumb line and said longitudinal axis.

10. The combination as recited in claim 9, wherein said panel additionally has a grid work of vertical and horizontal lines thereon disposed to extend parallel and normally, respectively, relative to said ,vertical reference line and said plumb line.

11. Posture analysis apparatus, comprising, in combination: means for positioning human feet, including a base 7 plate, said base plate comprising a heel plate having a straight edge on the forward end thereof, and a pair of straight, laterally spaced, divergent bars connected to said heel plate and extending forwardly from the central portion of said straight edge, said divergent bars eing positioned symmetrically about a longitudinal axis extending horizontally, perpendicularly from said straight edge; a plumb line attached to said heel plate medially of said divergent bars at a point on said longitudinal axis and extending vertically upwardly therefrom; and a vertical panel arranged perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and disposed in front of and spaced from said base plate, said panel extending parallel to said straight edge and said plumb line and having a central vertical reference line thereon disposed in a vertical plane common to said plumb line and said longitudinal axis.

12. The combination as recited in claim 11, wherein said panel additionally has a grid work of vertical and horizontal lines thereon disposed to extend parallel and normally, respectively, relative to said vertical reference line and said plumb line.

13. The combination as recited in claim 11, wherein the region between said divergent bars is open and unobstructed, and wherein said bars each have cut-out portions in the bottom thereof to provide access to a human foot disposed adjacent thereto, and including additionally a plurality of inserts adapted to be selectively placed under each said foot, said region between said divergent bars and said cut-out portions in the bottoms of said divergent bars being substantially larger than said inserts to allow easy placing of said inserts under said feet.

14. Posture analysis apparatus, comprising: means for positioning human feet in predetermined spaced relationship symmetrically about a longitudinal axis lying horizontally between the feet positioning means, including a base plate having feet positioning means disposed on opposite sides of said longitudinal axis; plumb line means adapted for connection directly to said base plate at a point on said longitudinal axis to extend vertically upwardly therefrom; resilient means to be connected to said plumb line for placing tension thereon; means for defining a central vertical reference line on a panel positioned perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and disposed to confront said base plate and said plumb line, said reference line being positioned in a vertical plane common to said longitudinal axis and said plumb line; and a lateral plate receivable on said base plate, said lateral plate including means to position human feet in predetermined spaced relationship thereon, said lateral plate and said base plate having cooperable projecting means thereon that lock to locate the lateral plate on said base plate with its feet positioning means disposed transversely to the feet positioning means of said base plate.

' References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,418,602 6/1922 Moe 33-2 2,006,774 7/ 1935 Ohlsson 33-17 2,349,664 5/1944 Leighty 33-174 2,394,149 2/ 1946 Clarke 3334 2,619,729 12/1952 Jarnette 33-174 3,089,244 5/ 1963 Amselle 332 OTHER REFERENCES 1,137,171 3/1957 France.

664,753 1/ 1952 Great Britain.

ROBERT B. HULL, Primary Examiner. ISAAC LISANN, Examiner.

B. A. DONAHUE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A POSTURE ANALYSIS APPARATUS, A FEET-POSITIONING DEVICE, COMPRISING: A HEEL PALTE HAVING A STRAIGHT EDGE ON THE FRONT THEREOF; A PAIR OF BARS ATTACHED TO AND EXTENDING FROM THE CENTRAL POSITION OF SAID HEEL PLATE, SAID BARS BEING SYMMETRICALLY DISPOSED ABOUT A LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND EACH DIVERGING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID AXIS AT ABOUT A 5* ANGLE, THE REAR ENDS OF SAID DIVERGENT BARS BEING SPACED APART A DISTANCE ABOUT EQUAL TO THE DISTANCE MEASRUED BETWEEN THE CONFRONTING HEEL PORTIONS ON THE FEET OF A PERSON STANDING NORMALLY, THE REGION BETWEEN SAID DIVERGENT BARS BEING OPEN AND UNOBSTRUCTED, 